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TENNESSEE HARASSES POT SMOKERS AT FESTIVAL
JESSICA FENDER, TENNESSEAN - Among the hippies, rockers, free spirits
and other Bonnaroo revelers partying in Manchester will be a less likely
festival figure: the taxman. In an example of Tennessee's controversial
drug tax in action, state revenue agents plan to collect fees on the
illegal substances that some concertgoers bring for personal use and
sale. . . For an ounce and a half of marijuana, just above the limit for
a misdemeanor drug charge, the tax amounts to about $165, said Al Laney,
director of tax enforcement for the state revenue department.
"Naturally, these people will be arrested and their assets will be
confiscated," Laney said. "We assess a person while they're under arrest
and seize any assets that law enforcement may want to turn over to us.".
. . State agents have collected $5.4 million so far, with an untold
portion of that coming from their efforts at Bonnaroo, the only event in
the state manned by tax agents. Between 30 and 40 concertgoers in 2005
faced taxes and fines, estimated Laney, who could not provide exact
statistics. Coffee County sheriff's officers, who help inspect vehicles
entering the concert grounds, arrested 147 people in 2006, many on drug
charges. More than 200 were cited, Sheriff Stephen Graves said.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070614/ENTERTAINMENT0104/706140398
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TENNESSEE HARASSES POT SMOKERS AT FESTIVAL
JESSICA FENDER, TENNESSEAN - Among the hippies, rockers, free spirits
and other Bonnaroo revelers partying in Manchester will be a less likely
festival figure: the taxman. In an example of Tennessee's controversial
drug tax in action, state revenue agents plan to collect fees on the
illegal substances that some concertgoers bring for personal use and
sale. . . For an ounce and a half of marijuana, just above the limit for
a misdemeanor drug charge, the tax amounts to about $165, said Al Laney,
director of tax enforcement for the state revenue department.
"Naturally, these people will be arrested and their assets will be
confiscated," Laney said. "We assess a person while they're under arrest
and seize any assets that law enforcement may want to turn over to us.".
. . State agents have collected $5.4 million so far, with an untold
portion of that coming from their efforts at Bonnaroo, the only event in
the state manned by tax agents. Between 30 and 40 concertgoers in 2005
faced taxes and fines, estimated Laney, who could not provide exact
statistics. Coffee County sheriff's officers, who help inspect vehicles
entering the concert grounds, arrested 147 people in 2006, many on drug
charges. More than 200 were cited, Sheriff Stephen Graves said.
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/
20070614/ENTERTAINMENT0104/706140398
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